Reading Notes: PDE Mahahbharata Part A

Vyasa and Ganesha

• Uparichara (king of Chedi) was feared for robbing gods of their power; therefore, they sent Indra to bribe him with a crystal car that has the ability to carry him in the sky
• However, while he was flying through the sky, his semen dropped into a river and was ingested by a female fish who was later caught by a fisherman
• After the fisherman caught the female fish, a girl and boy came forth
• The fisherman told the king about his find and the king took the boy in his possession and left the girl to be nurtured by the fisherman's wife
• The girl, Satyavati is beautiful person but she had an odd, fishy smell to her
• Because of her beauty, she was persuaded by the rishi Parashara to keep her virginity, and in return, she wanted him to get rid of her fishy smell 
• The rishi lived up to her condition and she became so sweet-smelling that it could be smelled from miles away

King Shantanu and Ganga

• King Shantanu was walking by the Ganges river when he came across a beautiful woman; however, little did he know what he was getting himself into because she was only taking on human form for Vasus
• King Shantanu knowing nothing of her shenanigans decided to ask this woman, Ganga, to be his beloved wife due to the beauty she radiates
• Ganga agreed to marrying him if he followed the conditions she had
• The terms he had to follow are to never speak harshly at her or prevent her from doing what she wants
• Shantanu agreed to these terms but he still had no idea what he was getting himself into
• When Ganga gives birth to a son, she casts him into the Ganges River for Vasus' welfare
• Birth after birth, she continues to cast her son into the river until the eighth baby was born and the King lashes out on her
• At this point, their marriage vow was broken, which caused Ganga to reveal who she really was and her reasoning behind her doings; she vanished right before his eyes too
• Ganga did not leave Shantanu without a son though; she returned for a brief moment and brought the king a son who was gifted with the virtues of Vasus

Bhima and the Nagas

• Bhima got poisoned by Duryodhana at a feast; however, the nagas attacked him and the poison counteracted the first poison he ingested
• He fell into the underworld and encountered Aryaka who gave him strength of a thousand nagas

Ganga brings Devarata to Shantanu

Bibliography: http://ouocblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PDE%20Mahabharata